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Putting problems plague Matthews at Open qualifier

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EVAN KORN / THE CITIZENS’ VOICE Pittston Area grad Brandon Matthews tees off during Monday’s U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier at Old Oaks and Century Country Clubs in Purchase, N.Y.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Brandon Matthews hit the ball crisp and true from tee to green all morning and well into the afternoon.

The Pittston Area product kept himself high up on the leaderboard and within striking distance of a U.S. Open berth.

But the putter, that pesky putter, was his undoing.

Matthews shot rounds of 72 and 71 for a 2-over 143 Monday in a U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier at Old Oaks and Century Country Clubs.

Fran Quinn and Rob Oppenheim shared medalist honors at 3-under, while James Renner (-2) and Matthew Dobyns (E) also snagged top four finishes and berths in the U.S. Open, June 12-15 at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

“I hit it great. I hit it good enough to get in the U.S. Open, I know that much,” said Matthews, who just completed his sophomore year at Temple University. “Way more than good enough. I hit it good enough to win this thing by three or four shots. If I just hit putts on lines today, that’s all I needed to do, was hit a couple putts on line… I would’ve done alright. I just didn’t.”

Even before he started his day with 18 holes at Old Oaks, Matthews was among the more talked about competitors in the 80-person field. He earned first alternate honors last year and made the nightly highlight shows with a chip-shot par save on his final hole.

“I felt more comfortable,” Matthews said. “After my year last year, I felt like I deserved to be here. I belonged here a little more than I did last year, I felt.”

Matthews was even-par through his first nine holes, 3-putting No. 6 before a run of four consecutive pars. On No. 11, a 310-yard par 4, he drove it into a greenside bunker and got up and down for birdie.

But the next four holes undid Matthews, at least temporarily, as he made three bogeys and 3-putted two greens.

“No. 14 really took the wind out of my sails because I’m even-par there and playing fairly well,” Matthews said. “I drove it into the greenside bunker on a 380-yard hole, hit a great drive and then hit my bunker shot to like 15 feet below the hole. Didn’t hit a great bunker shot, but it was OK. And I 3-putted that straight up the hill. And the hole before that, I missed a 10-footer right up the hill for birdie. And then I 3-putted No. 12.

SEE MATTHEWS, PAGE 34

“With a stretch of three holes on the back nine at Old Oaks, I turned a 67 into a 72.”

To add insult to Old Oaks injury, Matthews 3-putted his fourth green on No. 18, a 558-yard par 5. He reached the green in two, but his 4-iron from about 230 yards out and up one of the courses steepest hills, skidded past the cup to the back of the green.

“I don’t know how that 4-iron went that far or bounced that far,” Matthews said. “I left myself a very, very, difficult putt, where I was not putting good enough to hit the putt I needed to hit.”

Matthews’ 2-over 72 at Old Oaks left him in contention going into his round at Century, which he began on No. 10. He went 1-under through his first nine, but he bogeyed the first and second holes. On No. 1, he missed a 15-foot par save to the right, and on No. 2, he was too firm with a 12-footer.

“Tough two holes to start the back nine, and I never really got anything back until (a birdie on No.) 6,” Matthews said. “The wind died on me a couple times and I hit really good shots. They just didn’t end up as good as they actually were.”

At 2-over with two holes to play, he needed consecutive birdies to force a playoff with Dobyns. Matthews sliced his drive on the par-5 eighth, but rebounded to hit the green in regulation after a wedge over the trees and an approach shot within 12 feet.

The putter reared it’s narrow head once more, as Matthews failed to convert on the birdie try.

The U.S. Open will have to wait another year.

“ I hit a lot of shots close. Just could not convert,” Matthews said. “Couldn’t even 2-putt them. It was just a struggle with the putter. That’s really all it was.”

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